Looking Like the Enemy: My Story of Imprisonment in Japanese American Internment Camps

The author at 16 years old was evacuated with her family to an internment camp for Japanese Americans, along with 110,000 other people of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast. She faced an indefinite sentence behind barbed wire in crowded, primitive camps. She struggled for survival and dignity, and endured psychological scarring that has lasted a lifetime.

This memoiThe author at 16 years old was evacuated with her family to an internment camp for Japanese Americans, along with 110,000 other people of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast. She faced an indefinite sentence behind barbed wire in crowded, primitive camps. She struggled for survival and dignity, and endured psychological scarring that has lasted a lifetime.

This memoir is told from the heart and mind of a woman now nearly 80 years old who experienced the challenges and wounds of her internment at a crucial point in her development as a young adult. She brings passion and spirit to her story. Like "The Diary of Anne Frank," this memoir superbly captures the emotional and psychological essence of what it was like to grow up in the midst of this profound dislocation and injustice in the U.S. Few other books on this subject come close to the emotional power and moral significance of this memoir.

In the end,the reader is buoyed by what Mary learns from her experiences and what she is able to do with her life. In 2005 she becomes one more Nissei who breaks her silence....more

Paperback, 192 pages

Published
April 18th 2005
by NewSage Press
(first published March 10th 2005)

Several reviewers decried the author's writing and/or dismissed it as young adult fiction. While the writing style is certainly accessible to younger readers, this is, after all, a memoir. As a memoir, it is well-written and eye-opening. One gets the sense that it is not embellished ala James Frey. Like most baby boomers, I am well aware of the plight of Japanese Americans and their abrupt imprisonment after Pearl Harbor and for much of World War 2. I was not aware that these people were requireSeveral reviewers decried the author's writing and/or dismissed it as young adult fiction. While the writing style is certainly accessible to younger readers, this is, after all, a memoir. As a memoir, it is well-written and eye-opening. One gets the sense that it is not embellished ala James Frey. Like most baby boomers, I am well aware of the plight of Japanese Americans and their abrupt imprisonment after Pearl Harbor and for much of World War 2. I was not aware that these people were required to sign documents that forced them to decide between their Japanese selves and US American selves. This alone caused untold damage to the thousands of internees - and discord within that community lasts to this day. While it is always unwise to judge the actions of people in reaction to historical events, it has an analog to today's widespread animus towards Middle Eastern and Hispanic people in our country. It is unlikely we'll be imprisoning people based on their heritage, but it's common knowledge that racism is alive and well in 21st century America. The author does a good job describing the horror and fear experienced by herself and her family. At times, they fully expected they would be marched into a forest and executed. On several occasions, they were threatened with death by their fellow (white) citizens for the crime of being Japanese Americans - the author reports an incident where a barber grabbed her, as she was walking down a street in Nampa, Idaho, and held a razor to her throat wishing aloud he could kill her. While I have always been a little suspicious of dialog in a memoir (who can remember who said what over 60 years ago?) the author's use of dialog adds a welcome dimension to her narrative. And the dialog is highly believable. I got the sense that the events of her experience as a prisoner of war (A US citizen imprisoned by and in her own country . . .) served to burn these memories into her psyche such that she really did remember conversations. As with most memoirs, I found myself wanting more. The narrative ends shortly after the family's release. Little information is given about the author's children (I am a friend of her son) and many readers might like more details. Otherwise, go to the library and get this book - you'll be glad you did....more

I must issue a disclaimer. This will be the most biased book review ever! Reason being, the author, Mary Matsuda Gruenewald, is my aunt by marriage, and the mother of three terrific cousins.

Now that I have that out of the way, let me begin. I read this book shortly after it was published. I was home to see my parents and my mom said Aunt Mary had written a book. Oh, well, that's nice, what did she write about? I came home with an autographed copy, and it sat on my bookshelf awhile, until I got aI must issue a disclaimer. This will be the most biased book review ever! Reason being, the author, Mary Matsuda Gruenewald, is my aunt by marriage, and the mother of three terrific cousins.

Now that I have that out of the way, let me begin. I read this book shortly after it was published. I was home to see my parents and my mom said Aunt Mary had written a book. Oh, well, that's nice, what did she write about? I came home with an autographed copy, and it sat on my bookshelf awhile, until I got around to reading it. Not only did I learn things about my aunt that I didn't know, but I learned a whole lot about an event in our nation's history that wasn't ever covered in school.

I'm not going to summarize the book, because the edition has an adequate blurb. Also, I read it several years ago, so the specific details escape my memory. But in reading it, I was struck with the heart in it, the human interest, the feeling of "why in the world don't history books even mention American interment camps?"

I am really proud of my aunt for publishing this story about her experiences. It really makes history come alive when you are personally acquainted with the players. This book should be assigned reading for high school students. Believably, readers will relate to other forms of prejudice and stereotyping currently evident in our society.

It took the U.S. government four decades to apologize for interning 120,000 innocent people on the basis of their race. Mary Matsuda Gruenewald waited 60 years to publish her memory of that experience as a teenage girl. And yet you can tell by reading this that she did not forget a single thing about what happened to it and how it made her feel. This book is not written in a literary style, but it's so vivid, maybe especially because the narrator/author is a teenage girl trying to figure out herIt took the U.S. government four decades to apologize for interning 120,000 innocent people on the basis of their race. Mary Matsuda Gruenewald waited 60 years to publish her memory of that experience as a teenage girl. And yet you can tell by reading this that she did not forget a single thing about what happened to it and how it made her feel. This book is not written in a literary style, but it's so vivid, maybe especially because the narrator/author is a teenage girl trying to figure out her place in the world, even in the midst of this horrible injustice happening to her family. I will be thinking about this story for a long time....more

Many of us have a story within that begs to be told. We put it off, and off, telling ourselves: "One day, I'll sit down and write it down." Often we need a little push.

Around 1990, Mary Gruenewald Matsuda's son and middle child said, "Mom you have never told us about Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Yonei." Gruenewald (65 at the time) figured that if her own three children, and her brother Yoneichi's four daughters (their father died in 1985) were interested in their family history, it was up to heMany of us have a story within that begs to be told. We put it off, and off, telling ourselves: "One day, I'll sit down and write it down." Often we need a little push.

Around 1990, Mary Gruenewald Matsuda's son and middle child said, "Mom you have never told us about Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Yonei." Gruenewald (65 at the time) figured that if her own three children, and her brother Yoneichi's four daughters (their father died in 1985) were interested in their family history, it was up to her to tell the story.

She started by listing the facts as she knew them. In January of 1999, Gruenewald's daughter-in-law mentioned author and teacher Brenda Peterson was leading a writers group in Seattle. Until she joined the group, Gruenewald's writing had been all-inclusive. Peterson suggested she ought to write a memoir focused on the war years and her camp experience. She advised her student to make a laundry list, of everything she wished to address.

That done, the writer listed years —starting with 1941— on a stretch of butcher paper, laid out on the floor. Next she added the items from the laundry list; content for scenes and chapters. In Peterson's class she learned how to apply tools of fiction: adding character, dialogue and story line to her factual material.

In Looking Like the Enemy: My story of Imprisonment in Japanese-American Internment Camps, Gruenewald doesn't just relate her own story in an engaging manner, her writing is a tribute to the mother whose wisdom she wishes to share with people who aren't lucky enough to have (had) such a wise parent. Exposing her heart and soul on paper was not easy. Gruenewald remembers how Trip, a fellow writing student said: “Mary we came to class ready to read your words about Mama-san and you dismissed her in 200 words!"

Gruenewald then knew she had to go back to her desk, write with all the beautiful detail she had learned to use, excavating the painful as well as dear memories. Double hard because: "Culturally it was not done to reveal."

And yet writing has proven to be rewarding and gratifying to the now octogenarian author. Gruenewald says she's not same person she was, before she started to write her memoir.

She had for instance been prejudiced against "No, no!" people (those against Japanese young men fighting for US army). Mary's family belonged to the "Yes, yes!" sayers.

While working on the book, she came to understand that both sides were living according to their convictions, each equally valuable and difficult. The "No, no!" sayers had to withstand rejection, they were ostracized. Gruenewald remembers situations in the camp, where a father was pro Japan, and the son was not: "Families got torn apart that way."

Writing gave Mary respect for those who thought differently. She learned to appreciate the value of democracy, where you have the right to dissent.

"During the 70's and 80's there was a movement to extract an apology from the US Government. Less than 1% of the Japanese American population stood up."

That this movement did not bring the people together pains Gruenewald till today. She states that both the soldiers of the 442nd, and the "No-no!" sayers, need to be honored next to each other. "We need both of them, those loyal and critics."

Gruenewald cried a lot while writing her war memoir, but it was cathartic, and she recommends writing —getting that story down on paper— to others. She says that people have been coming out of the woodwork since her book was published, people from her past, people she grew up with. She talks more now, than ever; her heart is lighter and she's been told that she smiles more.

A senior friend showed her his life story, 25 written pages. Remembering her own starting point, and knowing that each paragraph could be made into one whole chapter, she told her friend: "Have courage! Be brave!" For that's what it takes to write in all honesty, delve deep into one's own, and family's past.

Gruenewald's advice for those who want to embark on a similar adventure: "Enroll in a writing group, write with people. You learn from each other. Come with pages to class. You get notes and a different perspective on your material, while you remain the authority."

Reconciled with her past, the author of the beautifully crafted memoir plans to visit Japan this coming spring. Finally. No telling what the title of her next book will be.

I have read a lot about the mass incarceration of the Japanese American community. Most of the first-hand, published accounts I've read were written fifteen or twenty years ago (or more). Reading Looking Like the Enemy, I realize how those earlier authors held back in what they produced for public consumption--heartbreaking though all their books are.

Mary Matsuda Gruenewald strikes me as a very courageous woman, writing at a time when the silence surrounding the mass incarceration has finally acI have read a lot about the mass incarceration of the Japanese American community. Most of the first-hand, published accounts I've read were written fifteen or twenty years ago (or more). Reading Looking Like the Enemy, I realize how those earlier authors held back in what they produced for public consumption--heartbreaking though all their books are.

Mary Matsuda Gruenewald strikes me as a very courageous woman, writing at a time when the silence surrounding the mass incarceration has finally accumulated some deep cracks. And so there are things here that the reader doesn't encounter in Nisei Daughter or Farewell to Manzanar. I guess I knew a lot of this, already, but I knew from digging around in dusty archives and from reading scholarly books. Not from published books for general readers.

The windows on the trains to the camps were covered. Matsuda Gruenewald writes that they didn't know where they were going, that she fainted because of the heat and fear. She writes about the terror--not the occasional fear that earlier authors found enough leeway to slip in, but the terror. The not knowing whether the guards were going to shoot. The barbed wire fences facing in. The being caught in a searchlight trying to go to the bathroom at night. The not knowing if she was going to leave alive. She writes about the friend who died of an "unknown disease"--a disease that I know and you SHOULD know was quite possibly treatable outside (the medical care facts about the camps are awful, and not well known). If not treatable, at least it was most likely known. She writes about the depression. About not wanting to get out of bed for days. About families breaking apart, about being angry when asked to salute the flag, about feeling sick when the war ended with Hiroshima. Of course people felt all these things, and reading Looking Like the Enemy makes it clear how much less freedom earlier Nikkei authors had to truly tell their stories of the Internment.

This is a five-star book, content-wise...and a three-star book when it comes to writing. Something that irks me to no end about memoirs is "conversation" recreated sixty years later in a way that seems stilted and unnatural. As other reviewers have pointed out, there is some of that. I encourage *everyone* even those of you who are snobs about good writing to read the book anyway....more

(My Story of Imprisonment in Japanese-American Internment Camps) I appreciated the glossary of Japanese words & phrases & a bibliography. An 80-yr old recalls her family's eviction from their farm & subsequent incarceration. They had enough warning to make arrangements for their farm to be worked in their absence & thus did not lose it. They felt very fortunate as many other Japanese lost all of their belongings. While they were deprived of all their rights, Mary was required to(My Story of Imprisonment in Japanese-American Internment Camps) I appreciated the glossary of Japanese words & phrases & a bibliography. An 80-yr old recalls her family's eviction from their farm & subsequent incarceration. They had enough warning to make arrangements for their farm to be worked in their absence & thus did not lose it. They felt very fortunate as many other Japanese lost all of their belongings. While they were deprived of all their rights, Mary was required to recite the pledge of allegiance daily at the makeshift high school where she finished her last year & they were all required to sign a loyalty oath. Sentimental but informative....more

If I was to judge this book purely by its writing, I would say it is poorly written and give it a lower review. However, that is not what this book is about. This book is the true story of one survivor of the Japanese Internment Camps. It sheds some light on what Japanese Americans endured during WWII. I thought her story was interesting, but on the surface. Being an internee from Washington, where prejudice was at a minimum, Matsuda experienced life in the camps quite differently than a numberIf I was to judge this book purely by its writing, I would say it is poorly written and give it a lower review. However, that is not what this book is about. This book is the true story of one survivor of the Japanese Internment Camps. It sheds some light on what Japanese Americans endured during WWII. I thought her story was interesting, but on the surface. Being an internee from Washington, where prejudice was at a minimum, Matsuda experienced life in the camps quite differently than a number of people. There is very little reference to the uprisings and danger that would develop during the second half of the internment years....more

This book was written for a young adult audience was very well-done. She describes vividly her confusion and disorientation at being perceived as an enemy. She is a legal US citizen and never felt different from her neighbors on Vashon Island, but when Pearl Harbor is attacked, her family realizes they are different. The four members of her family react differently to the internment experience and it's interesting to see their choices. They are assigned to several camps and thus get an interestiThis book was written for a young adult audience was very well-done. She describes vividly her confusion and disorientation at being perceived as an enemy. She is a legal US citizen and never felt different from her neighbors on Vashon Island, but when Pearl Harbor is attacked, her family realizes they are different. The four members of her family react differently to the internment experience and it's interesting to see their choices. They are assigned to several camps and thus get an interesting perspective on the people from different areas of the West Coast....more

Excerpt -- On Taking the Long View"Let's imagine," she [mother] said after a thoughtful silence, "that we are now twenty years into the future, looking back on our situation as it is right now." She looked at Yoneichi [my brother], then glanced briefly at Papa-san. "Some of us may survive this time. Twenty years from now, we may have nothing more than the memories of how we conducted ourselves with dignity and courage during this difficult time." She paused. "What kind of memories do we want toExcerpt -- On Taking the Long View"Let's imagine," she [mother] said after a thoughtful silence, "that we are now twenty years into the future, looking back on our situation as it is right now." She looked at Yoneichi [my brother], then glanced briefly at Papa-san. "Some of us may survive this time. Twenty years from now, we may have nothing more than the memories of how we conducted ourselves with dignity and courage during this difficult time." She paused. "What kind of memories do we want to have then of how we faced these difficulties now?"...more

This book really gets you thinking. While you can hear the pain in the memories of the author she is more gracious to the United States government than I believe I could be if I had lived in her shoes. After reading this book I now have a difficult time placing my hand over my heart and saying the Pledge of Allegiance in my Kindergarten class every day. Why do I have to lead these children by example in Pledging Allegiance to a country that didn't/doesn't respect the people who are defined as ciThis book really gets you thinking. While you can hear the pain in the memories of the author she is more gracious to the United States government than I believe I could be if I had lived in her shoes. After reading this book I now have a difficult time placing my hand over my heart and saying the Pledge of Allegiance in my Kindergarten class every day. Why do I have to lead these children by example in Pledging Allegiance to a country that didn't/doesn't respect the people who are defined as citizens of this country? Really got me thinking......more

This is one of the few autobiographies that I have read. I went through a little phase of wondering how the Japanese coped with being locked away in internment camps in WWII. All I could find was the Americans side of the story then I came across this and it blows my mind that a country (I understand that it was during a time of war and through fear) could be racist towards its own citizens and how they could force these other human beings to live in such confines. It was good (for me) to hear tThis is one of the few autobiographies that I have read. I went through a little phase of wondering how the Japanese coped with being locked away in internment camps in WWII. All I could find was the Americans side of the story then I came across this and it blows my mind that a country (I understand that it was during a time of war and through fear) could be racist towards its own citizens and how they could force these other human beings to live in such confines. It was good (for me) to hear the other side of the story....more

Initially I read this book (and went to a reading) because it was written by a friend's mother. However, once I got into the memoir, I found it to be an engrossing account of the Pacific Northwest chapter of Japanese American internment during WWII. Being from the area, and having read and heard family oral history of the Southern California internment experience, it was incredibly enlightening to read an account of local history. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this historical memoir about the Japanese American internment camps of WWII. The author speaks honestly about her feelings and experience of a time in history that many Americans still don't know about. She puts a human face onexperiences similar to those that my father's family (and extended relatives) went through. I definitely recommend this book. I thank the author for bravely writing it. I suggest a box of kleenex while reading it.

The author was 17 when she and her family wereinterned as potentially traitorous people becauseof their Japanese ancestry. Once you accept thegiven situation, which they had to, their intra-familyadjustments offer a moving sub-plot. Their humanity,civility, and patience are astonishing, as they livedout a prolonged situation tragedy that we once thought couldn't happen here. Land of the free, no; home ofthe brave, yes.

Recommends it for: anyone wanting to learn more about this period in history

Although the writing in this book wasn't that impressive (it sort of felt like it was geared towards children), it was a huge learning experience for me. I feel as though my history classes growing up didn't even touch on this important and embarrassing part of America's history. Therefore I would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about this period in history.

I'm marking this to-read as a method of asking: does anyone I live near have this book? It's the book for this year's Smith faculty book club and there are no copies in the Oakland, Berkeley or San Francisco public library systems, but I would really love to read it because Floyd Cheung is the speaker and I want to ask him good questions. Anyone?

Fascinating to read about a part of my family history that my mom only spoke to us about once. It made her cry so we never asked her about it again. After reading this story, I can understand why. What I can't understand is why this even happened to American citizens in the first place. I can only hope that something like this never happens again.

I thought it was an important story to know about. There was a time in the middle when it felt like it moved slowly and I wasn't sure I wanted to persevere with the book, but then I picked it up again and had to know how it ended. It's pretty amazing what happened and how people made it through. Worth reading!

I starting reading this book very uninformed about this part of history. The author's first person account is very moving and heartbreaking. She talks alot about how this imprisonment hurt the social norms and family structure amoung the Japanese Americans. It was very sad yet enlightening for me to read.

If you know little to nothing about the Japanese internment during WWII, this is an excellent first-hand account of what went on. Heartbreaking to think that this happened in this country, but after 9/11 and the outbreak of Muslim hatred, can easily see that it clearly could happen again.

I heard Mary Matsuda Gruenewald speak at an event at Seattle Central Community College back in 2010. She started writing her memoir in her 70s, after years of shame and silence. I'm glad she wrote about her experiences of being Japanese American during World War II.

What a beautiful book. I learned so much from this book about the Japanese culture, about internment camps and about faith. Even though it dealt with a dark time in our history I found it very uplifting.

I founds this story very interesting. I cannot imagine my family being pulled from our lives simply because of our heritage. It really opened my eyes to the struggles the Japanese families faced during WWII.